What’s in a name? The Amsterdam Museum bans the term Golden Age.

Katarzyna (Kasia) Krok

The Return to Amsterdam of the Second Expedition to the East Indies, Hendrik Cornelis Vroom (1566-1640) (PHAS/Getty Images)

On September. 12^th, 2019, the Amsterdam Museum announced that it will no longer use the term Golden Age (Gouden Eeuw) in its exhibits as it emphasizes the prosperity and downplays the oppressive reality of the time. The announcement was initially made on Twitter and was  followed by an article in de Volkskrantthat was authored on behalf of the Amsterdam Museum. The article, titled Why the Amsterdam Museum will no longer use the term “Golden Age,” (translated) states that, “The Amsterdam Museum wants to offer space to those stories from the 17^thcentury that are not yet being told and therefore wants to be relevant to more people” (translated). 

Amsterdam Museum's History with the Golden Age

This sort of rhetoric is not necessarily new for the Amsterdam Museum. In 2013, the museum introduced an exhibit named The Golden Age, gateway to our World. Despite the name of this exhibition, a press release from 2012 hinted at a more nuanced understanding of the turbulent time: 

An age of world trade, the Dutch East India Company, the rise of an economic superpower, wealth, silver, regents, cultural and religious diversity, flourishing science, immortal paintings and the construction of the Amsterdam canal ring. But also an age of slavery and war. (Amsterdam Museum, 2012)

As such, the renaming of this exhibition to 17^thcentury brings these critical undertones to the forefront of the conversation of inclusivity in 2019. For public relations practitioners, this is a token example of what it means to be adaptive to time and space; an increasingly difficult task in our rapidly changing world. To an unknowing eye, this may seem a small, semantic change. However, it is a change that will lead to, “… new relations between organizations, society and the public concerning trust and legitimacy” (Falkheimer, 2007, p. 289). More specifically, those who have been cast in the shadow by those who have been historically in-power will now be invited to share their untold stories. 

Polarized Opinions and Privilege 
Undoubtedly, the conversation has not been without opposition as the term Golden Age is strongly linked to national pride. Most notably, the renaming has received critique from the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte: “I will carry on calling it the Golden Age… Let’s not waste our energy on renaming the Golden Age – a beautiful term. We can talk about what wasn’t good, but let’s devote our energies to creating a new Golden Age,” he stated during a press conference. But, is this a fair statement from someone who is an emblem of power? If we look to structuration theory, we can understand that “… social structures are a medium of human agency as well as a result of this agency” (Falkheimer, 2007, p. 288). That is, the term Golden Age is both a means and an end of oppression. 

So, what is in a name? Trust and legitimacy. 

From this context, it can be understood that the Amsterdam Museum is at the intersection of three public relations issues: power, behavior and language (Ihlen & Verhoeven, 2012). By addressing these issues, the Amsterdam Museum is exceeding in their civic role. Essentially, they are using their power to affect behavior and address the language. On a micro-level, this strategy challenges the status quo, invites the public to rethink history and be critical of the way forward. From a public relations perspective, this creates a valuable sphere for two-way communication between the organization and the public - where meanings can be negotiated and renegotiated. Such a sphere is critical for the generation of trust and legitimacy. 

The silver lining to these polarized opinions is that it is an issue or, a matter of discussion. In this case, issueis not a dirty word. Rather, it is a hopeful one as, “issues can lead to creative and fruitful discussion” (Ihlen and Verhoeven, 2012, p. 165). The Amsterdam Museum may not have pleased everyone by ousting the Golden Age; but they certainly have brought an important topic into the spotlight.

About the Author

Katarzyna Krok is a Master’s candidate at the University of Amsterdam and Exhibitions Intern at World Press Photo Foundation. Aside from being a regular contributor to the Public Relations Blog, she is an activist for climate change, food security and reducing plastic waste. Her research interests are focused on the not-for-profit sector, legitimacy and corporate activism/citizenship. 

References 

Amsterdam Museum. (2012, November). Amsterdam Museum Presents The Golden Age, gateway to our World [Press releasee]. Retrieved from https://www.amsterdammuseum.nl/sites/default/files/081112_press_release_the_golden_agegateway_to_our_world_eng_def.pdf

Boffey, D. (September 13 2019). End of Golden Age: Dutch museum bans term from exhibits. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/13/end-of-golden-age-amsterdam-museum-bans-term-from-exhibits

Falkheimer, J. (2007). Anthony Giddens and public relations: A third way perspective. Public Relations Review, 33(3), 287-293.

Ihlen, Ø., & Verhoeven, P. (2012). A public relations identity for the 2010s. Public Relations Inquiry, 1(2), 159-176.

Katz, B. (September 16 2019). Why the Amsterdam Museum Will No Longer Use the Term ‘Dutch Golden Age’. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/amsterdam-museum-will-no-longer-use-term-dutch-golden-age-180973140/

Kiers, J., Limon, I., Schavemaker, M., Tjon, A.F., (September 12 2019). Waarom het Amsterdam Museum de term ‘Gouden Eeuw’ niet langer zal gebruiken. Retrieved from https://www.volkskrant.nl/columns-opinie/waarom-het-amsterdam-museum-de-term-gouden-eeuw-niet-langer-zal-gebruiken~b2711957/?referer=https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FvRp0KCUnoT